EU member states should be allowed to vote on restricting trade with illegal Israeli settlements, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.Any move to curtail trade with Israel due to its actions in the West Bank would need a qualified majority of member states to support it. However, Ireland and other countries supportive of such a move have so far failed to persuade a sufficient number of other European capitals to offer support. Speaking as he arrived at the meeting of the European Council in Brussels, Martin said the “failure to take a strong stance” at a European level had undermined the bloc’s credibility.“There comes a stage when people should be allowed to vote as member states to articulate their position. So in my view, if it was put to a vote at some stage, that might create its own dynamic in respect of Israel’s behaviour in Lebanon, in Gaza and in the West Bank in particular.”The Taoiseach said he understood not all member states were “on the same page” on the issue, but that “our credibility is damaged by our failure to act”. The European Commission is expected to bring forward options on restricting trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank in advance of the next meeting of foreign affairs ministers next month.Martin is attending the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, the last before Ireland takes up the presidency of the Council of the European Union.Meanwhile, the Taoiseach ruled out any ban on evictions after a report from the Oireachtas housing committee suggested one should be on the table. “They do not work, in the short or medium term,” he said, adding that in his view such a step would depress and suppress housing supply. He said he was “calm” about the number of Government TDs that voted against a Sinn Féin Bill to remove the mandatory three-day waiting period before accessing abortion services.Several Cabinet Ministers voted against the measure, despite both Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris having indicated they would support the Opposition Bill.“I’m fairly calm about it and I fully accept the right of every individual to exercise a conscious vote and a free vote in the manner that they did,” he said.“I think it’s a sign of the maturity of our political system that we can arrive at a situation where we can have a much more measured discussion and deliberation on these issues.”Martin also insisted the closure of the Silk Road Café in Dublin Castle – the latter will host many events associated with Ireland’s EU presidency – was not solely down to the EU functions taking place. The owner of the cafe was granted an injunction this week restraining its landlord, The Chester Beatty Library, from closing it for security reasons during the presidency.“My understanding is it’s not because of the European Union presidency,” he said. “That’s not the issue ... it’s a bit more complex than has been said.”